Toy building element



March 6, I928 1,661,687 W. R. BENJAMIN TOY BUILDING ELEMENT Filed Feb.10, 1927 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

WALTER B. BENJAMIN, OF GRANITE CITY, ILLINOIS.-

-. TOY BUILDING ELEMENT.

Application filed February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,207.

This invention relates to an assortment of elements that may beassembled in a plural ity of ways to build a variety of structures,articles, models, or toys. It is especially adapted for the use ofchildren, enabling them to exercise their ingenuity in erecting variousarticles, rigid or loosely jointed, such, for example, as a table, abed, a chair, a bench, a ladder, a swing, a kiddy car, a wheelbarrow, awagon, and other objects too numerous to mention.

In the accompanying drawings forming part offithis specification, inwhich like numbers of reference denote like parts wherever they occur,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the clamp by means of which thecomponent parts are connected together;

Figure 2 is a vertical central sectional View of the clamp, showing themanner in which two rods may be rigidly coupled together thereby;

Figure 3 is a similar view exhibiting the manner in which the clamp isused to form a loose connection between two rodsj Figure 4 is aperspective view illustrating a wheel that forms one of the elements ofthis invention;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a swing that has been erected by theassemblage of parts of this invention; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a wheelbarrow that has beenconstructed of an assortment of elements that comprise this invention.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a U-shaped clamp1, preferably stamped out of a metal strip and including a base 2 andarms 3. The base 2 is formed with a threaded opening 4, in which can beadjusted set screw 5. An elongated opening 6 is formed in each of thetwo arms. The distance between the arms is preferably equal to the widthof the elongated openings, which are preferably twice as long as theyare wide.

The clamp 1 is employed to connect together a pair of rods 7, that arepreferably formed of wood or other suitable material that may be readilypierced by a pointed wood screw, while, also, adapted to react againstpressure that may be exerted thereagainstby the flat end of a set screw.lVhen a pair of the rods 7 are to be rigidly connected together, one ofthe rods is placed thereto. andthe set screw 4.)

in the outer end of the openings 6, and the other red is insertedbetween the base 2 and its companion rod, either through the pair ofopenings 6 and parallel to its companion or between .the arms 3transversely is adjusted to bear onthe juxtaposed roe and clamp thelatter against the rod in the outer end of the arms 3. as shown inFigure 2. lVhcn a loose jointis desired, a'pointed wood screw 8, havinga shank slightly smaller in diameter than the diameter of the hole 1 atthe root of its thread, is inserted through the in the wheel 9 toreceive one of the rods 7,

The rods 7 may fit loosely in the opening 11 so thatthe wheel turnsfreely thereon, or they may be adapted to fit tightly therein, so thatthe pulley will rotate therewith, or rods of alternate widths that littightly or loosely may be furnished.

The swing of Figure 5 is constructed of uJri 'htrods 12, ri idlyconnected at their l 2: s

upper ends'to a cross rod 13 by clamps 1 and set screws 5, in the mannerillustrated in Figure 2. Rods 14 are loosely connected at their upperends to the cross rod 13 by means of clamps 1 and wood screws 8, thetype of joint being as illustrated in Figure 3, so that the clamps 1 androds 14 swing together loosely about the rod 13. The lower ends of therods 14 are rigidly connected to a cross rod or seat 15 by means of theusual clamps 1 and set screws 5.

The wheelbarrow of Figure 6 comprises side rods 16, anterior andposterior cross rods 17 and 18, respectively, and upright rods orstandards 19, all rigidly connected together by means of clamps 1 andset screws 5 to effect the tight joints indicated in Figure 2. The wheel9 turns loosely on the anterior cross rod 17.

Having thus fully described this invention. I hereby reserve the benefitof all changes in form. arrangement, order, or use of parts, as itisevident thatmany minor changes may he made therein without departingfrom the spirit of this invent-ion or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. An assortment of elements for building a variety of structures,including a U- shaped clamp having an opening in its base and respectivealigned openings in its arms, a wood screw adapted to extend through thehase opening, and a pair of elements adapted to engage with said clamp,one of said elements heing of wood whereby it may he pierced by the woodscrew in order to bind it to the base of said clamp.

22. An assortment of elements for huildin a variety of structures,including a U-shaped clamp having an opening in its base and respectivealigned openings in its arms, a perfo'ated wheel, and a pair of elementsadapted to he engaged in angular relation with said clamp, a wood screwin the hase opening one of said elements hein; of wood so that it may besecured to the base portion of said clamp by said screw, while the otherof said elements is free to rotate within the aligned openings of saidclamp. with said wheel rigidly secured thereto.

In testimony whereof I hereunto allix my signature.

WALTER it. BEJJAMIN.

